Most brands aren't too bad the ones I favour are Sony Viao and Asus. If you want to use with skype get one that has an inbuilt webcam so you don't have to buy extras. Try and get a package that they will load/give you office for no extra.

I had nothing but trouble with my ASUS and got rubbish servicing/repair to top it off.

If you're not planning on anything too fancy, a netbook might be a better option. They're a lot more portable, but do suffer from the lack of a CD drive, so if you plan on using it to travel and watch DVDs on, not your best choice.

Ah, well there is the problem.It is actually a gift for MIL and there seems to be a pretty big price range. I would like it to cost as little as possible, but still be a decent computer. I was hoping for under $600 but don't know if that is possible. A quick web search shows they can cost up to and beyond $2,000.

Almost any laptop from a reputable brand will work for what you have described. The higher cost ones will have higher specs for things like video processing, gaming etc.

The bare minimum specs you need for email/web browsing/Skype is easily covered under $600, the real trick will be to find one that is easy enough for her to use as the majority of new laptops atm are running Windows 8 which has pros and cons - for someone who hasn't used a computer much before it is probably a really good idea as it's more like a tablet with large icons to select applications, for someone who has used a computer before it can be confusing to find applications that aren't natively on the home screen. The Windows 7 laptops that are still left are mostly on sale so it's definitely a good time to buy if you want one of those.

I have always had Asus or Toshiba. I had some issues with my Asus about 4 months after I bought it, but the service was fantastic. They sent a courier to collect my laptop, then had it couriered back to me after it was repaired. All up it took around 5 business days from when I rang them to when I had my computer back. Both Asus and Toshiba have been great. I did have a BenQ at one stage but it was rubbish.

Both these brands have good computers for what you want for around your price range. Why don't you just go into several stores, tell them what you want and your budget, compare them, and then go from there?

Ah, well there is the problem.It is actually a gift for MIL and there seems to be a pretty big price range. I would like it to cost as little as possible, but still be a decent computer. I was hoping for under $600 but don't know if that is possible. A quick web search shows they can cost up to and beyond $2,000.

You can certainly get a good one for under $600 and with maybe $100 or $200 change left over! . You can do all that you mentioned with a laptop under $600, the more expensive ones are aimed at people who require more power and memory for multi tasking or gamers.

I recently got a HP laptop for myself a few months back for $300, pretty much for the same things you mentioned above (skype, wp, email, web). Was going to get a netbook cos they are very portable but screen is a bit small so you'll be doing a lot of scrolling to read and I didn't want one that was too big either. I opted for an 11.6" which was just the right size for me and very portable.

What size screen are you thinking of getting 15", 14", do you need a cd/dvd drive? Like someone mentioned above, go to a store have a look and see what appeals to you and then do some research online before you buy.

I’m not expecting you to be as calm as you might be right now. What I mean is that if your panic levels are through the roof during a stressful situation, let’s bring them down to just under the ceiling.

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